Patent · US Expired

Device for diffusing a first fluid into a second fluid

US5804105A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
9References
15Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 5, 1996
Grant dateSep 8, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 5, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02W10/10
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A fluid diffuser includes an inner extruded tube and an outer extruded tube between which there is a woven fabric material tube. The diffuser includes pores formed by a non-ablative piercing process and being arranged to act as valves which are self-closing when fluid is not flowing through the diffuser. The woven fabric material is arranged to restrain diametral expansion of the inner and outer tubes and thereby restrain an increase in pore size as the pressure of fluid flowing through pores is increased. Thus, if the diffuser is used for diffusing air into water, the size of bubbles produced remains substantially constant as the pressure of air supplied to the diffuser is increased. Other diffusers are described which function in a similar manner, including a disc diffuser and tubular diffusers which are made of sheet material.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.